JP2554487Y2 - Ultrasound diagnostic equipment - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, in particular, a probe comprising a plurality of transducers, and a delay circuit provided for each transducer. The present invention relates to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of a multi-stage focus type that sets a transmission focus point of a stage and transmits and receives an ultrasonic wave to and from the focus point of each stage.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a beam scanning method in an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, an electronic scanning method is generally used. In this electronic scanning system, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is provided with directivity by giving different delay amounts to a plurality of micro-vibrators constituting a probe.

In such an electronic scanning method, a so-called electronic focusing method for narrowing a beam at an arbitrary position can be performed. In this electronic focus method, for example, ultrasonic waves reflected from a focus point in a living body are received by each micro-vibrator,
By giving an appropriate delay time to each of the signals obtained by each of these micro-vibrators, the phase of the signal from the focus point is adjusted and the signals are added. The same applies to the focus setting at the time of transmission, and the transmission ultrasonic beam is narrowed at a predetermined focus point by giving a delay time similar to that of the reception to the focus point for each microvibrator.

The use of the above-described electronic focus method enables a multi-stage focus method (wave transmission dynamic focus method) for obtaining an image with high resolution over the entire region from a shallow part to a deep part of a living body. In the multi-stage focus method, a plurality of focus points are set in accordance with the depth of a living body, ultrasonic waves are transmitted and received for each of these focus points, and data obtained at each of the focus points is stored in a memory and stored in a memory. This is for creating scan line data for a book.

Conventionally, in this type of multistage focus type ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, switches corresponding to a plurality of preset focus points are provided, and the focus points are selected by turning on / off the switches. For example, N,
When three focus points M and F are set, three switches corresponding to the respective focus points are provided. When the focus point is only one step, the switch corresponding to the focus point of N, M or F is turned on, and when the focus point is two steps, N, M
Alternatively, two switches corresponding to M and F are turned on.
Further, when the number of focus points is three, all switches are turned on.

In this type of ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, if a discontinuous focus point is selected from preset focus points, the processing becomes complicated. There are many things that cannot be done.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In the above conventional configuration,
There is no problem when selecting consecutive focus points, but if a non-consecutive focus point is selected by mistake, the process becomes complicated, so another mode is automatically selected. Like that. For example, when two switches corresponding to the focus point N and the focus point F are turned on when setting the focus point in two steps, a discontinuous focus point is selected. Consecutive focus points of the focus point F are automatically selected.

In other words, in the above-described conventional configuration, processing cannot be performed with non-consecutive focus points, but a non-consecutive focus point can be selected on the switch side. Must automatically select another mode. An object of the present invention is to prevent selection of a discontinuous focus point due to an erroneous operation.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention includes a probe including a plurality of transducers, and a delay circuit provided for each transducer. This is an apparatus of a multi-stage focus system which sets a transmission focus point of a stage and transmits / receives an ultrasonic wave to / from the focus point of each stage. This apparatus includes a depth selection unit, a stage number selection unit, a focus point setting unit, and a control unit. The depth selection means is a means for selecting a focus depth. The stage number selection means is a means for selecting the number of stages of the transmission focus point. The focus point setting means,
Means for determining continuous transmission focus points for the number of stages selected by the number-of-stages selection means according to the focus depth selected by the focus depth selection means from among a plurality of transmission focus points of different stages having different preset depths It is. The control means is means for controlling the delay circuit such that the transmission focus point is set by the focus point setting means.

[0010]

In the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention, when an ultrasonic beam is emitted from a probe composed of a plurality of transducers,
First, the focus depth is selected by the depth selection means, and the number of transmission focus points is selected by the number of steps selection means. When setting the focus point, the focus point setting means selects the number of steps selected by the step number selection means from among a plurality of predetermined transmission focus points in accordance with the focus depth selected by the depth selection means. A continuous focus point for minutes is determined. Then, the delay circuit is controlled by the control means so that the focus point is set.

Here, when the focus depth and the number of steps are selected, consecutive focus points corresponding to the number of steps are determined in accordance therewith, so that discontinuous focus points that cannot be actually used are not set. Therefore, discontinuous selection of a focus point due to an erroneous operation can be prevented.

[0012]

FIG. 1 shows an overall schematic configuration of a multi-stage ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, a probe 1 is composed of a plurality of micro-vibrators and is connected to a multiplexer 2. The multiplexer 2 is for selecting a micro-vibrator for performing electronic scanning, variable aperture, and the like. The pulsar 3 and the reception delay circuit 7 are connected to the multiplexer 2. The pulser 3 outputs a pulse signal for generating an ultrasonic wave from the micro-vibrator of the probe 1. The pulsar 3 is connected to a transmission delay circuit 4 including a delay line for focusing a transmission beam at a set focus point, and a circuit for setting a delay amount of the delay line.

The transmission control circuit 5 is connected to the transmission delay circuit 4. The system control unit 5 includes a transmission delay circuit 4
To output a delay selection signal. The transmission delay circuit 4 sets a delay amount such that the beam is focused at the set focus point based on the given delay selection signal. An operation panel 6 is connected to the system control unit 5. The operation panel 6 outputs a focus selection signal to the system control unit 5. The system control unit 5 outputs a reception delay selection signal to a reception delay circuit 7 described later,
As shown in FIG. 2, the operation panel 6 for outputting a control signal to the (digital scan converter) 10 includes a stage number setting dial 21 for setting the stage number of the transmission focus,
A slide switch 22 for setting the depth at the set number of steps. Slide switch 22
Are movable up and down along the groove 23. The depth at the set number of steps is set by the vertical position of the slide switch 22, and continuous focus points can be set.

In FIG. 1, the multiplexer 2 is also connected to a reception delay circuit 7. The reception delay circuit 7 includes a preamplifier for amplifying the reflected echo signal, a delay line having a plurality of taps for controlling a delay amount, and an analog multiplexer for switching and selecting a plurality of taps of each delay line. I have. The reception delay circuit 7 includes:
The reception processing unit 8 is connected. The reception processing unit 8 includes a phase synthesis circuit that performs phasing and addition of the reception signals selected by the analog multiplexer, and a log amplification detection circuit that performs logarithmic amplification and detection processing to obtain tomographic data. An A / D converter 9 is connected to the wave receiving processor 8. A
The / D converter 9 converts the tomographic data output from the wave receiver 8 into a digital signal.

A DSC 10 is connected to the A / D converter 9. The DSC 10 includes an image memory, and converts image data input at the transmission timing of the ultrasonic beam into a standard television signal. A monitor 12 is connected to the DSC 10 via a D / A converter 11. Next, the operation of the thus configured ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of the present embodiment will be described.

First, an operator activates the apparatus and operates the step number setting dial 21 to set a desired number of steps of the focus point. Further, the user operates the slide switch 22 to set a desired depth. Here, when the focus point is set to one step by the step number setting dial 21, as shown in FIG. 3 (A), the vertical direction area of the slide groove 23 is set in advance in each of four equally arranged areas. Each of the focus points N, M ₁ , M ₂ , and F is assigned, and one of the four focus points is determined by the vertical position of the slide switch 22.
One is selected and set. Also, the step number setting dial 21
When the focus point is set to two steps by the
(B), the respective in a region arranged the slide groove 23 3 _{etc., N~M 1, M 1 ~M 2} , M 2 ~F3
One of two consecutive focus points is set by the vertical position of the slide switch 22. When the focus point is set to three steps by the step number setting dial 21, as shown in FIG.
₁ ~M _2, M _{1 1} kind of ~M ₂ 2 types of three successive focal point of ~F is selected and set. Further, when the focus is set to four steps, FIG.
(D), the whatever the position slide switch 22, four stages focus N~M ₁ ~M ₂ ~F is selected and set.

When these settings are completed, a delay selection signal is output from the system control unit 5 to the transmission delay circuit 4 according to the settings. Then, the transmission delay circuit 4 gives the pulser 3 a delay amount such that a desired focus point is obtained. The delayed ultrasonic pulse is applied to each transducer of the probe 1 via the multiplexer 2. This allows
An ultrasonic beam that focuses on a desired position in the living body is transmitted. At this time, electronic scanning of the ultrasonic beam at each focus point is performed by switching control of the multiplexer 2.

The focus point is thus determined,
When ultrasonic scanning is performed for each focus point, phasing addition and detection processing are performed by the reception delay circuit 7 via the multiplexer 2, and an envelope waveform of the reflected echo is obtained by the reception processing unit 8. The tomographic data of the envelope waveform is digitized and temporarily stored in the DSC 10. In the case of multi-stage focus, the digital signals of the number of stages are added in the DSC 10 for each scan, and the ultrasonic scan of the number of stages is performed.
Book sound ray data is created. When this is repeated for one screen, image data for one screen is displayed on the monitor 12.

In this case, the number of focus steps and the continuous focus point at the set number of steps are set by the number-of-steps setting dial 21 and the slide switch 22 for setting the depth. Selection can be prevented. [Other Embodiments] In the above embodiment, the number of steps is set by a dial switch, and the depth is set by a slide switch. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the number of steps may be set by a slide switch, and the depth may be set by another switch such as a rotary switch.

[0020]

As described above, in the present invention, the focus point setting means determines continuous focus points for the number of steps selected by the number of steps selection means based on the depth set by the depth setting means. Therefore, in the multi-stage focus method, it is possible to always select a continuous focus point. Therefore, discontinuous selection of a focus point due to an erroneous operation can be prevented.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a multi-focus ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged partial view of the operation panel.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a relationship between scan contents of an operation panel and focus settings.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Probe 3 Pulser 4 Transmission delay circuit 5 System control part 6 Operation panel 21 Step number setting dial 22 Slide switch

Claims (1)

(57) [Scope of request for utility model registration] A probe comprising a plurality of transducers; and a delay circuit provided for each of the transducers, wherein the delay circuit is selected to set a plurality of transmission focus points.
In a multi-stage focus type ultrasound diagnostic apparatus that transmits and receives ultrasonic waves to and from the focus point of each stage, a depth selection unit for selecting a focus depth, and a stage number for selecting a stage number of the transmission focus point Selecting means, from among a plurality of transmission focus points having a predetermined depth different from each other, continuous transmission of the number of steps selected by the number of steps selection means in accordance with the focus depth selected by the depth selection means. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising: a focus point setting unit that determines a focus point; and a control unit that controls the delay circuit so as to be a transmission focus point set by the focus point setting unit.